Guardians of the Dead
by B3y0nd
Summary: Like the Unsent Ghosts that created it, Yevon rises again. This time, even the might of the High Summoner won't be enough. An X2 Crossover because it has Paine in it.
1. Intro: My Story

This is _my _story.

It is unlike the others that came before it.

Where they had love and joy, I found only the cold embrace of my constant companion.

This is the story of _my _life, as I lived it.

_Guardians of the Dead_

This is my story.

All that remains of my life are these tiny lines, these words cast onto these pages.

Remember them.

Remember me.


	2. One

_**One**_

Tidus sighed as his feet hit the sand.

"Nice shot." Wakka shouted from across the open water.

It really had been a nice shot. The first flip had knocked two of the Aurochs away, and then his spinning dive sent it straight past Wakka into their improvised goal.

"All right! Time for passing practice, ya!" Wakka shouted to the team in general.

"Sorry…" Tidus muttered. "But I'm tired. I'm heading home."

"Oh, come on, brudda!"

"No, go on without me."

"Whateva you say…"

- - - - -

In truth, Tidus wasn't the least bit tired. He just wanted to get back home to spend some time with Yuna before she went back to Bevelle.

His liquid sword… _Brotherhood_… felt awkward in his grip as he walked the long, lonely path back to Besaid Village. The sun set slowly behind him, casting a deep orange tint across the island.

"I was wondering where you had gone." Whispered a soft, condescending voice.

Tidus jumped at its sound. "Don't do that, Lulu."

"Forgive me. Is Wakka…?"

"Yeah. Still back there, practicing with the team."

"I wish he wouldn't work so hard. If he hurt's himself…"

"He'll be fine." Tidus muttered. "Is Yuna still in town?"

"She was just packing her things…"

Tidus gasped, breaking into a run.

"Thanks, Lulu!" He shouted over his shoulder.

She sighed, shaking her head.

"He'll hurt himself like that some day…"

- - - - -

Yuna lifted the small suitcase that held her few traveling necessities. She wore the long blue skirt and white robe that she had favored during her pilgrimage, as Nooj had requested that 'she wear something formal, this time.'

It was strange to her, how much Spira leaned on her for guidance. Even after the foundation of the Youth League and New Yevon, she still found herself off performing random tasks and helping out. Perhaps more significant, though, was that Nooj and Baralai both made a point of inviting her to the new Spiran High Council meetings.

"Ready?" Paine's black shoes crunched against the dirt.

"Of course." Yuna responded.

Paine took the suitcase from Yuna's grip, slinging it over her shoulder as she made her way toward the beach. After a moment, Yuna followed.

It was no longer a strange sight for her, to be seen walking out of the tall archway that marked the entrance to Besaid village. She owned a house in Bevelle, where she spent the vast majority of her time, despite her horrible memories of the Yevonite fortress there. The cold, dead eyes of Grand Maester Mika still haunted her dreams from the day that she had abandoned Yevon.

"Yuna!"

Even if she hadn't known he was coming, Yuna would have recognized the voice instantly. She had just enough time to turn around and face Tidus before he caught up to her.

"Tidus…"

"I'm glad I caught you."

She smiled. "You could have just whistled…"

He laughed. "I suppose I could have. I just wanted to wish you luck on your trip."

Yuna groaned. "Politics… Do you want to come with me? I could use the company."

"Won't Paine be with you?" Tidus glanced at the woman out of the corner of his eyes. Despite the four years that had passed since the two first met on the beach of Besaid, he still had yet to get to know her.

"She has to go back to Home and help Rikku. They're rebuilding." Yuna answered.

"Oh."

"Can you?"

"Actually, I kinda promised Wakka that I'd play for the Aurochs in the tournament this year…"

"Oh, that's right! I'll be there."

"Playing?"

Yuna laughed. "No. One season was more than enough for me. Can you come afterward?"

"I would be honored."

"Good. We can meet up in Luca after the tournament."

He nodded.

- - - - -

Just three hours later, Paine sat on the bridge of the Celsius, flying rapidly toward Bikanel Island. The trip to Bevelle had been short, with the wind speeding their voyage. Now, though, the ship was meeting heavy resistance. A black, billowing storm sat in front of them.

"Can we go through it?" Paine asked.

"Sure…" Brother answered. "But it'll be bumpy. Hold on."

Paine took a seat, staring at the clouds. Then, amongst the storm, something caught her eye. In an instant, she was running for the elevator, sword in hand.

"What? Are you crazy?" Brother's cries went unanswered.

The elevator doors slid open, leaving Paine standing on the upper deck of the airship.

"Who are you?" She shouted.

The yellow-robed, hooded figure turned slowly. In each hand, he held a thick, curved blade.

"You are Paine, once the companion of the Lady Yuna, as well as Mevyn Nooj and Praetor Baralai?" He asked.

Paine grunted. "You know me too well."

The man glared at her, and she finally saw his face. He was older than she had anticipated, perhaps forty-five. His eyes were black, and his skin dark. His most notable feature was a long scar that ran from above his right eyebrow in a diagonal across the bridge of his nose and down his left cheek.

The man pounced forward, attacking in a fluid movement. Paine blocked one blow, managing to duck beneath the other.

"Very good." He muttered, his voice deep and raspy, as he pressed his attack. Paine blocked blow after blow, slowly tiring.

_He's amazing… He's almost too good…_

Then the man's right blade caught the hilt of her sword. With a single flip, he tore the weapon from her hands and flicked it off the edge of the ship.

"You are not the one I seek." He muttered. A bolt of lightning from the rapidly approaching storm clouds struck him, and he was gone. A moment later, the clouds dispersed.

"Who was he…?"

- - - - -

Rikku was waiting on the long stairway in the airship's dock as Paine walked off. It was amazing how much of the massive fortress Rikku had managed to reassemble in the four short years.

"Took your time, didn't you?" She muttered.

"Good to see you too, Rikku." Paine answered, not the slightest bit amused.

"Oh, you know I'm kidding. But… what took you so long anyway?"

"A storm… and a man."

"What?"

Paine placed a hand on Rikku's shoulder.

"I'll explain… in private."

"Fine… come on." Rikku muttered impatiently as she led Paine through the mazelike passages of the Al Bhed city.

Finally, the pair entered a small room. A bed was rammed up in a corner. A large sphere dominated the table in its center. The walls were covered in miscellaneous treasures, many of which Paine recognized from the former adventures.

"So… give me the scoop. What happened?"

"After we dropped off Yuna, we started heading over here. About halfway, over the ocean, we ran into a storm. It wasn't a normal storm, though. There was a man… he had a yellow robe and two swords, who was controlling it. I fought him, and he beat me. He was amazing…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Rikku muttered. "You and your swords… you remind me of _him_."

"Who?"

Rikku waved a hand in front of her face to shake away the question.

"Anyway…?"

"Then he told me that I wasn't the one he wanted, and he disappeared. Then the storm went away."

"Well, that's weird… Maybe he'll go away."

"I doubt it… I've got a bad feeling about this. Something's going on here."

"You still want more adventure? Even _I've _had enough for one lifetime. Time to kick back and have a real, reliable life."

"Maybe you're right…" Paine answered, although she didn't really mean it.

- - - - -

Tidus woke the next morning, oddly refreshed for his short slumber. After walking Yuna to the beach, and then traveling back, he was left, well past midnight, to finally sleep.

"Ya ready? Big day! We're headin' for Luca."

Tidus slid to his feet quickly.

"Already? The tournament's not for three days…"

"Yeah, I know."

"Remember what happened last time we went to Luca early for the tournament?"

"That was only one day. Now we got time to plan before a bunch o' insane Al Bhed kidnap somebuddy."

Tidus laughed. It seemed so strange to him, still, to be able to laugh and actually mean it.

"Whatever. When are we leaving?"

"Half an' hour."

Tidus jumped out of bed, pausing only to grab Brotherhood and his wallet, before ducking out the door.

- - - - -

Yuna smiled half-heartedly at the New Yevon monks who greeted her as she walked into the massive room from which Spira was directed… or controlled.

"Ah… the Lady Yuna." Baralai stated, informing his companions of her presence.

Nooj and Gippal both immediately shot up from their seats.

"Hey, it's Yuna!" Gippal shouted.

"It's good you could make it." Nooj added, glancing quickly at her choice of attire.

She nodded at each.

"Good to see you too." She answered.

"Come, take a seat." Baralai pulled back a chair for her, which she took only for the purpose of appeasing him.

She stared at the enormous, sculpted map of Spira. Mt. Gagazet towered a good foot above the rest of the table.

"So… what are we talking about today?" She asked awkwardly.

Baralai looked quickly at the other two.

"Well… I've got nothing."

Gippal waved a hand through the air. "Nada."

Nooj slowly lifted himself to his feet with his cane. "I have news."

Yuna, Baralai, and Gippal fixed on him intently.

"There have been reports of attacks on the travel agencies in the Calm Lands. Apparently, they've had trouble with some new group that's surfaced… The Disciples of Yunalesca."

Gippal laughed. "So were supposed to be afraid of a group that worships Yuna? What next?"

Yuna shuddered. The name brought back horrible memories.

"I'm not the first person to be named Yunalesca." She answered. Immediately, a dead silence fell over the room.

Finally, Gippal shattered it. "Wait, what? Who else?"

"It was the best kept secret of Yevon." Baralai began. "Summoners who traveled to Zanarkand were greeted by Lady Yunalesca, the worlds first High Summoner. She was an unsent."

"And…"

"She knew all the secrets that Yevon kept. That a Guardian must give up his life to become the Fayth of the final summoning… that Sin would always be reborn… all these things." Baralai explained. "And if a Summoner or Guardian ever tried to turn back, she would kill them. That's why only one Guardian ever made it back from Zanarkand alive, and even I don't know how he did it…"

Yuna sighed.

"He didn't. He died there."

Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai all gasped as one.

"What?"

"She killed him. He came back for me as an unsent."

Then a sickening void filled the room, and none of the group would meet Yuna's eyes.

"In any case…" She continued. "What are we going to do about this?"

"I'll send a squad of Warrior Monks in to cover it." Baralai answered.

"Are you sure you can spare…?" Gippal began.

"What's going to happen? Bevelle has been peaceful… well, since four years ago."

Nooj nodded. "Very well then. That's what we will do."

Yuna smiled. "Good." She turned for the door.

"You're leaving already?"

"I wanted to get home before…"

"Don't you remember what day it is?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow, the Great Calm will have lasted six years."

The date had passed completely over Yuna's head. It hadn't occurred to her in the slightest that the date was any time soon.

"We're having a big party…"

"Here?"

"No. In Luca. We were wondering if you could come."

She wanted to turn them down. She would much rather have spent the time back in Besaid with friends. But the timing was too perfect, and she didn't have the strength to turn them down to their faces.

"I would be honored."

- - - - -


	3. Two

_**Two**_

The streets of Luca were empty as the boat finally pulled into the docks. The streets were dark, and filled with nothing but memories.

Tidus walked them alone, having already bid goodnight to his teammates.

He stood atop the railed cliff, staring off into the ocean. Six years before, he had spoken to her there.

"Whistle if you need me…"

"You know, people will think you're crazy if you talk to yourself like that."

Tidus spun. "Yuna?"

She rushed up, embracing him.

"How are you?"

"Wonderful… now that you're here. You got here early."

"Do you remember what day tomorrow is?"

Tidus thought for a moment, and then gasped.

"How could I forget?"

Yuna nodded. "There's going to be a big party…"

Tidus smiled. "Like I promised you all those years ago. Remember that?"

"Macalania… in the sphere pool. How could I ever forget?"

The two walked off into the empty city, talking quietly.

"Is he the one?" A figure asked its companion in the shadows.

"The survivor of Zanarkand." The other figure answered. "And she is the Lady Yuna. There can be no doubt."

"Do we kill them?"

"No. If we threaten her, _he _would be very angry with us."

"Yes. I suppose he would."

- - - - -

Deep within the Farplane, the souls of the dead are restless. The Guado have returned to their city, but their absence still worries the dead. What will happen when Guadosalam is truly abandoned?

Two souls sit at the base of a tall hill within the land of the dead.

"This is the Farplane?" One asks.

"Wasn't what you were expectin, was it?" His companion's voice is gruff, but cheerful. The man is a ghost, partially translucent. His bare chest is adorned with a large black tattoo in the shape of a highly-stylized J.

"Not really, no."

"You'll get used to it, kid."

"I suppose so. Who are you?"

"'Name's Jecht." The man answers. "You?"

"Kido." He responds.

"An Al Bhed?"

The boy nods.

"Well, this is what it's like." He gestures vaguely to the infinite landscape of waterfalls and flowered plains.

"Are there any fiends here?"

"No. He makes sure of that." Jecht gestures to the top of the hill. A man sits there, staring into the distance.

"Who is he?"

"The Guardian of the Dead." Jecht smiled, as though it were some sort of inside joke. "I should go talk to him. He's probably getting grumpy again."

- - - - -

Dawn rises slowly over Luca. Tidus rises slowly, careful not to wake Yuna, who still lies sleeping beside him. He glances around quickly, before remembering that he is in Luca. Quickly, his fingers wrap around his sword.

Carefully, he sneaks out the door, and begins walking down the street, Brotherhood hung from his waist. He made it about two blocks before being noticed.

"Look! It's Sir Tidus!"

Tidus groaned.

"Sir Tidus! Can we get a word with you?" Sphere casting reporters swarm around him, and he slowly tries to shrug them off.

"Where is Lady Yuna?"

"Will she be here?"

"Are all of the other Guardians coming?"

"How does it feel, six years later?"

"Wonderful." Tidus grunted. "I got a full night's sleep." With that graceful comment, he pushed his way free of the mob.

"Like the crowd?"

"Oh, shut up, Wakka. Where are we practicing?"

"I'm not gonna' hold practice _today_! What, ya' think I'm evil or sumthin?"

Tidus shook his head. "Never mind."

"Where's Yuna?"

"Back in the room… Wait, how'd you know she was here?"

"I got my ways." Wakka answered vaguely.

"Whatever."

Carefully, the two snuck out of the plaza, and down to the docks.

"So… what do you want to do?"

"Beats me, ya? I say, we should go get a bite to eat."

Tidus nodded. "The same restaurant?"

"T's the only good 'ne in Luca." Wakka answered.

- - - - -

Rikku gestured back with both hands.

"Lower… lower…"

Slowly, the Celsius dragged the enormous metal plate into place, finishing another wall.

The enormous ship then set down in a docking bay, and Rikku ran on board.

"Come on… let's go to Luca."

Paine sighed. "There'll be crowds."

"Of course there's crowds. We're famous. What do you expect?"

Paine rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Be a sourpuss."

"I was just…" The pair's words were cut short as red lights and sirens burst into action across the ship.

"Fiends?"

"No…" Cid answered over the ship's intercom. "Worse."

"What the hell is worse than fiends, dad?"

"Airships."

Rikku turned to Brother.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get us out there!"

"What? Are you as crazy as Paine?"

"The Celsius is our best equipped airship. Now go!" Paine's voice was straightforward and commanding. There was no protest from Brother. The ship lifted off.

With that, the tiny girl pocketed a pair of knives and a large rifle, before taking the elevator to the top deck.

Paine gasped when she reached the deck. Looking out on the horizon, she could see dozens, if not hundreds, of tiny airships. They were painted tan, blending in with the desert easily to the untrained eye.

"Faster, Brother!"

The ship shook slightly as it accelerated. Rikku tapped the clip on her rifle.

"Ready, Paine?"

"Do we know they're hostile?" She asked.

Rikku thought about this for a moment.

"No, I guess not."

Then the ship rocked to the left from a massive explosion on its right side.

"On second thought, we do know."

Then the Celsius met the horde. Rikku stood atop the deck, firing again and again at the tiny ships. One by one, they crashed, but she was hardly putting a significant scratch in their numbers.

"Damn!" Paine muttered when she realized that she had no weapon. "Where's Yuna when we need her?"

"What? Why would she be any help? She hasn't held a gun in four years." Rikku muttered, still shooting the rifle.

"I don't care" Paine answered.

"Brother!" Rikku shouted. "Can we get some help up here?"

"On the way!  
The ship shuddered as massive steel walls along its sides slid open, revealing innumerable missile ports.

"Firing!" Brother's voice echoed over the speakers.

Too many trails of smoke flew off the ship. One by one, the tiny airships were destroyed.

Rikku sat back on the deck.

"We did it!"

"Not yet," Paine muttered. "Brother, follow that airship!"

A moment later, the Celsius' engines roared, and the ship shot toward its target.

"Where's it headed?" Rikku asked.

"Home?"

"No. Too far right for that. It's going to the south end of the island."

"What the hell is there?"

Rikku thought about it for a moment.

"Wait… the ruins…"

Paine nodded. "This could be dangerous."

Rikku tossed Paine the rifle, flipping out her two knives.

"When has that ever mattered to us?"

- - - - -

Half an hour later, the enormous red airship deposited Rikku and Paine in the center of the desert ruins. A massive, halfway crumbled building stood before them. One of its doors hung slightly open.

"In there."

Rikku nodded, rushing forward.

The room inside was large, but seemingly empty. A few crumbled statues lay scattered on the walls and floor. Ancient symbols, long since worn away or blurred, still covered the floor.

"Somehow, this looks familiar…" Rikku muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I've been here before."

The two walked forward. Directly in front of the pair was a single staircase that led up to a much smaller door.

"You think?" Paine asked.

"Of course they're in there. Whoever they are."

The stairs were sound, and a moment later, the pair pushed open the doors. Before them lay a long hallway. Rikku took a tentative step forward, but nothing happened.

"Seems safe…" Paine walked past Rikku without a care.

"It always _seems _safe. Otherwise it wouldn't be a trap." Rikku answered.

"Maybe you're right."

About halfway down the hall, a massive stone wall rose up, blocking the exit.

"Like I said."

"It's not hurting us. We just can't leave the same way we came in."

"I don't like this place." Rikku thought aloud.

- - - - -

Yuna managed to evade the crowds long enough to slip into the restaurant.

"There you two are. I've been looking everywhere."

"Sorry." Tidus muttered.

"Ya, we didn't know you wanted us." Wakka added.

"Never mind." She took a seat at their table. "So how are you doing, Wakka?"

"Fine, 'cept for the crowds, ya'?"

"Good." She smiled at him. "Nooj said something that scared me."

"What?" Tidus lightly rested his hand on his sword.

"Some group is making trouble in the Calm Lands."

He relaxed. "Probably some historians or something… not that we did anything great there anyway."

"No. They're a cult. The Disciples of Yunalesca."

Tidus' hand clenched down hard on Brotherhood's handle. Both stopped eating.

"But… she's still dead, ya? I mean, we made sure…"

"I hope so… I really hope so…"

- - - - -

Kimahri walked slowly down the long, snowy cliff-side path. He grips his spear tightly in his hand. The footprints stop at the edge of the cliff.

"They are gone."

"Elder is sure?" One of his companions asked.

"Yes. Not long gone."

"They fall off cliff?" The youngest of the group asked.

"No." He muttered. "They fly."

"Airship?"

"Magic." Kimahri answered. He could smell the pryeflies cleanly where he stood.

"This is bad. They defile sacred mountain."

Kimahri shook his head. Something worse was yet to come. He could feel it in the air.

"Kimahri must travel to city."

"Why, Elder?"

"To speak to Yuna."

The group fell silent instantly. He never spoke of his companions, or his journey, except when they were present. With that, the Ronso elder began his long walk down the cliffs of Gagazet.

- - - - -

Rikku and Paine came to a single large room. Its center was dominated by a massive chasm, with pillars standing out of it's depths.

"What should we do?"

"Jump across."

"What if we fall…?"

"Don't look down." The elder woman answered, making the first jump. "They're stable."

"I'll just take your word for it…" Rikku muttered as Paine landed on the next pillar.

"You want to stay here?"

Rikku dove to the first pillar. Slowly, she jumped to the second, the third… and on.

She made it to the sixth without incident.

A small pile of dust had settled on the seventh. Rikku jumped onto it, and her feet slid out from beneath her. She barely managed to catch the edge.

"Help!"

Paine jumped back quickly, pulling the Al Bhed girl to her feet.

"Be careful."

The remainder of the "trip" was uneventful, and the pair reached the door on the other end of the room.

"What's in here…?" Paine asked.

Rikku shuddered, her teeth chattering from fear.

"What is it?"

"The door… It's…"

"What?"

Rikku shook herself.

"Never mind. I'm probably just being paranoid."

The two pushed the door. Instead of swinging open, it slid up into the wall above it.

The room beyond was small and dark. Paine and Rikku both gasped as one.

"Is this…"

Rikku nodded.

"This is what I was afraid of. The door back there is the same as the one at every other temple… this is a Fayth."

- - - - -


	4. Three

_**Three**_

The remainder of the day passed slowly for Tidus and Yuna. They walked calmly through the city, seeing the sights and avoiding the crowds.

Finally, the sun began to set.

"We should go get ready."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… it's a formal party, and I'd hate to disappoint Nooj." She gestured at the white shirt and long, single-legged pink skirt.

"You look fine to me."

Yuna sighed.

Half an hour later, Tidus was wearing a black jacket over a formal white shirt, both of which were uncomfortable to no end. Yuna seemed fine wearing the outfit she had favored during her pilgrimage.

Tidus shifted his shoulders, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Oh, stop that." She whispered to him as the two entered the large room. It had a polished marble floor and a large table, able to hold more people than Tidus cared to count.

The room was nearly full, with a group of musicians in the corner. They were playing the _Hymn of the Fayth_.

"Anything but this…" He whispered.

"I know." Yuna answered back.

The crowds moved like a wave. Amongst the group, Tidus picked out Lulu and Wakka, who was carrying his son, Vidina, on his shoulder. They both wore the same black jackets that Tidus had 'chosen'.

Tidus tapped Yuna on the shoulder, and she nodded.

"I know."

The two walked over.

"Lulu! Wakka!" Yuna muttered.

"It's good to see you, Yuna." Lulu answered.

"And hello, Vidina." She smiled at the boy.

"'ello." He answered back, trying to hide his face behind Wakka's hair.

"Oh, come on, brudda. It's Yuna. You don't need to be shy with her, ya?"

"Ya." He answered.

Tidus laughed.

"What's so funny?" Wakka asked.

"Nothing… just…"

"He has your accent, Wakka." Yuna pointed out.

"'Course he's got my accent. That's how a brudda's gotta' talk, ya?"

"Ya." Vidina answered, apparently thinking the comment was directed at him.

Tidus and Yuna broke out laughing, and Lulu even managed a small chuckle.

"So… are you comin' to the Blitz tournament, Yuna?" Wakka asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She answered.

"Good."

"Hey, it's Yuna!" A voice called over Tidus' right shoulder.

"Hello, Gippal. How are you?" Yuna asked.

"Fine. Yourself?"

"Wonderful."

"Good… it still seems strange to be so close to all you celebrities."

Tidus and Wakka shot each other looks, both of which said _I hate him_.

"Well, come on. Enjoy the party. Everybody wants to talk to you. You made this possible, you know."

Yuna blushed slightly. "I guess so…" Gippal held out an arm, which she took after a moment's hesitation. The two walked off into a group of nobles and merchants from Bevelle.

"Asshole…" Tidus muttered.

Wakka slapped Tidus across the back of his head.

"Watch your language."

"Huh?"

Wakka sighed, gesturing to his son, who was listening intently.

"Oh… sorry?"

Wakka nodded. "Well, I guess we should go talk to people. We have been avoiding the crowds, and the news people won't be here."

- - - - -

The Celsius was still refueling from its recent voyages, and so the Fahrenheit, Cid's original ship, lifted off toward Luca. (A/N: That's it real name. I didn't make it up.)

"This is bad… this is real bad…" Rikku muttered, pacing back and forth.

"We don't know that." Paine answered. "It might just have escaped being sent at the end of Yuna's pilgrimage."

"No, we got them all. Besides… that Fayth was new. You could still see the body of the person…" Rikku's voice trailed off.

"Maybe."

"Right… we're almost there. You ready to hop off?" Cid's voice echoed over the intercom.

"Yeah, pops."

"Good. See you back home."

- - - - -

Yuna smiled at the man Baralai was introducing to her.

"This is Lady Yuna."

"Ah… the High Summoner. It is a pleasure to meet you, I assure you."

"Of course. What is your name?"

"Forgive me, but I don't give out my name. A point of my position you see. If it offends you, I am sorry…"

Yuna spied a pair of swords at his waist as he turned away from her, walking into the crowd, his yellow robe fading into the crowd.

"Do you know who he was?"

"He's the head of the Warrior Monks. Was since Kinoc died. I've never gotten his name, but he seems trustworthy enough."

- - - - -

Tidus shook hands with representatives from Kilika and Bevelle, mages and priest trying to restore Macalania, generals and commanders from both the Youth League, and New Yevon. To him, it seemed like a waste of time.

Then a silence fell over the room as Baralai took a podium at the head of the room.

"Today, we celebrate the sixth year of the Eternal Calm!"

The room rose up in applause.

"And where would we be without thanking the people who worked so hard to give it to us?" Applause broke out again, and quite a few of the men around him turned to stare at him.

"Let's enjoy this night, and hope many more come after it."

Lights focused on the center of the room, and the band began to play.

"Now, let's enjoy the night, and remember why we have it."

One last chorus of applause echoed out. Tidus felt a pair of gentle hands on his arm.

"Let's dance."

He gasped as Yuna led him toward the open floor, where the two began exactly that. Tidus smiled, forgetting the politicians and the uncomfortable clothes. All that mattered was Yuna and himself, and being together. They smiled, without a care in the world.

- - - - -

The yellow robed figure leaned against a wall in the back of the crowd.

"Is it time, sir?" A figure asked, hidden in the shadows by his dark clothes.

"Yes. Do not harm Yuna… but the Guardians all die."

"What shall we do with her?"

"Capture her. I want her alive."

- - - - -

The Fahrenheit settled on the Highroad just outside the city. Rikku and Paine ran through the city streets, weaving their way through the crowds of people celebrating the monumentous day. Rikku still carried her knives, and Paine still held the rifle.

"Ladies… where are you hurrying to so quickly?" A voice asked from the crowd.

They heard a rasping of steel through the air, and both drew their weapons quickly.

"What's wrong? Afraid?" The voice came again.

Rikku ducked into an empty alleyway, with Paine on her heels.

Paine stalked to the end of the alley slowly, looking around for any sign of danger. Then, behind her, she heard the clash of steel on steel.

"Who are you?" Rikku asked.

"Does it matter? You'll be too dead to tell in a few minutes."

Paine spun. Rikku's knives were locked against a man with a short, curved blade. He was dressed entirely in black, with his shaven head sticking clear of the top. Across his forehead, a symbol of Yevon was tattooed.

Paine took aim carefully, but Rikku's body prevented her from getting a clear shot.

The man spun his wrist suddenly, launching one of Rikku's knives into a wall beside him. He pressed his attack, forcing Rikku to duck and dive, blow after blow, stroke after stroke.

Paine fired a shot, but it was too high.

"Careful… you'll hit me." Rikku muttered through clenched teeth, focusing intently on blocking each attack from the man.

The man grunted. The black cloth over his mouth hid what Rikku was sure formed a smile.

Then Paine fired again. This time, the bullet found flesh in the man's arm. He was left fighting one handed. Paine clicked the trigger again, but the weapon was empty.

The man lunged out with a kick, knocking Rikku to the ground. He drew back his sword for the killing blow.

In that instant, Paine grabbed the knife embedded in the wall and threw it at the man.

It slid straight through his throat, leaving him gargling on his own blood in the few seconds before he died.

"That was pleasant…" Rikku muttered sarcastically.

Paine ignored her, ripping open the man's shirt.

"What are you looking for?"

"Anything." Paine answered.

She found nothing.

- - - - -

Tidus whirled Yuna in his arms. She smiled up at him as the two embraced. No longer were they alone on the dance floor. Around them, three dozen other couples danced along.

The joy froze in an instant as a dull rasp rung through Tidus' ears.

He heard the whistle of wind over a blade as he reached to his belt…

But Brotherhood was still in the hotel, with his other clothes.

He grabbed Yuna in both arms, diving to the side.

A black clad man dropped down next to him, his short blade smashing into the ground where Tidus had just been. Men and women in the crowd screamed, and pandemonium erupted in the party. Tidus ignored it.

Quickly, he jumped to his feet, pulling Yuna up with him.

"Run! We'll take care of this." His Guardian reflexes took over, ignoring his surroundings. The man lunged at him, blade in front of him.

Tidus jumped to the side, grabbing onto the man's arm.

The man smashed his knee into Tidus' chest, knocking him to the ground.

In an instant, the blade was slashing down at him. Tidus caught the man's arms and began pushing against him. The two were locked in that struggle for a moment.

A glass fell to the ground next to him, shattering. He quickly grabbed a shard of the glass with one hand while holding off the sword with the other.

The man screamed as the glass tore through his face. He released his grip on his sword, and Tidus snatched it. Then he pushed the man onto his back and held him down.

"Who are you?! Who sent you?!" He shouted.

The man sneered at him beneath his black veil. Then his eyes rolled back in his head, and he died.

Tidus jumped to his feet, scanning his surroundings. His first sight was Wakka trying to fend off two of the attackers as Lulu led Vidina away from the battle. The mighty Blitzer had cuts along his arms.

Tidus ran towards the pair, jumping into the air. He let what little magic he could control settle into the sword in his hand. Directly above his foes, he swung the sword, releasing his energy. A thousand pillars of light fell, instantly killing both men.

Tidus landed with a dull crunch.

"You all right?"

"Ya. Thanks, brudda."

Tidus looked around again. There were no more figures.

"Did you see where Yuna went."

"I though she was wit' you."

"Shit!" Tidus charged off, plowing through the crowd. Wakka began following him, but Tidus saw over his shoulder.

"Take care of Lulu and Vidina. I can handle this."

- - - - -

Yuna ducked through alley after alley as the figures pursued her. She ducked around a corner, and the men shot past.

She sighed in relief. Then a sharp pain met her head, and she fell unconscious.


	5. Four

_**Four**_

The High Summoner awoke to find herself sitting in a stone chair, amongst an all-too-familiar ruin.

"Ah. Our honored guest is awake…"

Yuna looked around, but the voice was nowhere to be seen.

"What's wrong? Can't find me?"

And then, as if he had been there the whole time, the yellow-robed man was standing before her.

"You!"

He maintained a straight face.

"High Summoner Yuna… You are charged with a betrayal of Yevon, and with High Treason."

"What? Yevon is dead."

"Yevon has always been dead. That is what gives it power. It's Maesters are all unsent. You thought you had killed us, not understanding that the dead cannot die again. How do you plea?"

Yuna stared at him.

"You're a madman!"

"No, I am simply a patient believer in the teachings of Yevon… and his daughter. You are a traitor, and so we will now go to the land where I belong, and where you will be destroyed."

Yuna rose to her feet, ready to fight, only to find that her hands were tied behind her back.

The man walked forward, grabbing her arm in an iron grip.

The two walked the halls of the ruin, until Yuna recognized it.

"Zanarkand!"

He laughed under his breath.

"Only now, Lady Yuna? Only your beloved friend knows it better. The city of the dead… of me. And soon, of you as well." The two walked through the Cloister of Trials, slowly descending on the levitating platform, down to the Fayth of the Final Summoning.

It was gone. All that remained was a dark, bottomless hole.

Yuna gasped. It had been there before, even when all the other Fayth had disappeared.

Then she felt the world shift as the man swiftly moved his arm. She fell into the hole.

- - - - -

Kimahri walked along the Highroad, wiping his spear as he went. Behind him, three disfigured corpses were all that remained of the assassins.

"Yuna, be safe." He prayed to himself.

- - - - -

Rikku shouted to the man before her in the street.

"Tidus!"

He spun quickly on his heels.

"Have you seen Yuna?"

"No… why?"

"She's been missing since last night."

"What?"

"The assassins?" Paine asked.

"I think so." He answered.

Rikku punched herself in the arm.

"We were too late."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… there were these men who attacked Home. They had tiny airships. And there's a Fayth in the desert."

Tidus' right eyebrow rose.

"So…?"

"A _live _faith." Paine explained.

Tidus was silent for a moment, his mouth hanging slightly open as he processed this.

"So… what do we do?"

"We find Yuna. She's the only Summoner left."

"What about Dona… or Isaaru?"

"They wouldn't be able to help. Besides, Yuna's missing. We need to find her."

"Come on."

- - - - -

The group of Legendary Guardians gathered in the small meeting room at the back of Luca's finest restaurant an hour later.

"Mommy…. what's wrong?" Vidina asked.

"Nothing…" Lulu lied. "Go play outside… no wait. Stay here." Her nerves were getting the best of her.

Wakka's arms were bandaged from the unfortunate incident.

Nooj limped up to the table.

"So… these were the Disciples of Yunalesca?"

Baralai nodded. "Worse, the Commander of the Warrior Monks is missing."

Tidus sat in the corner, thinking to himself.

"But… can't we do something? Do we know where they're coming from?" Rikku asked.

"No." Baralai answered. "They're untraceable."

"There's got to be something…"

Tidus thought for a moment.

"Yuna said that they were attackin' the Calm Lands? I bet they're there." Wakka noted.

"Maybe… but wouldn't it be obvious if they were."

"There's plenty of gorges there… just like Mushroom Rock. It'd be easy to hide a small group there, and it's far enough from most of the cities…"

Tidus' head shot up.

"The Fayth!"

All the heads in the room riveted to him at once.

"What?"

"You said there was a live Fayth in Bikanel?"

"Yeah, why?" Paine asked.

"There's the Fayth in the cave… in the Valley, at the base of the Calm Lands."

Lulu looked across the faces.

"But if they're creating Fayth then that means…"

"Summoners?"

The danger seemed to pass over the faces of each person, one at a time.

"Then what do we do?" Nooj asked.

"We go in armed." Tidus answered. "Our Summoner has been kidnapped…"

Rikku laughed. "It wasn't me this time."

No one else laughed.

"Sorry…" She muttered under her breath.

"Right… I'll get some Youth League troops… Gippal, can you spare any of your machina?"

Tidus slammed a fist onto the table.

"There's no time. We'll go." He gestured to the other Guardians. "Right?"

Lulu and Wakka cast a quick gaze at their son. Tidus looked to Rikku, who shook her head.

"I'm in charge of Home now. I can't just go off on another quest."

Tidus groaned, picking up Brotherhood. He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Then I'll do it myself."

- - - - -

Yuna awoke again to the sight of the yellow robed man standing over her.

"The Farplane?"

He nodded.

"Fitting, that you should die in the land of the dead. You won't even need a sending."

He grabbed her by her arm again, half-leading and half-dragging her down the rocky path.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because if Yevon dies, Spira is a headless beast with a million free minds. It is chaos and destruction a million times worse than Sin. Nothing gets done. Yevon brings order. Yevon is Spira."

"Yevon is a misguided, hopeless religion."

The man slapped her.

"Do not speak such blasphemy."

From then on, she kept silent, dragging her feet in an attempt to slow their passage.

- - - - -

Tidus walked slowly down the Highroad.

"Tidus?" A deep, rumbling voice asked.

"Kimahri? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Yuna. Kimahri must speak to her."

"She's missing, Kimahri. She was kidnapped."

"The black men?" He asked in simple way.

"They attacked you too?"

"Yes. Kimahri killed them. Now, we look for Yuna."

He turned, beginning his walk back.

"Wait… how do you know where we are going."

"Kimahri doesn't. Kimahri sees that you go this way."

"Oh…"

- - - - -

Yuna found herself on her knees as the yellow robed man drew a sword.

"Traitor, I sentence you to death." With that, he drew back his weapon. Yuna closed her eyes in fear.

Steel met steel, and Yuna's eyes shot open again.

"Yevon is nothing now. Accept your defeat." The gruff and emotionless voice could not have been mistaken in a million years. Yuna had never expected to hear it again.

- - - - -

The Calm lands were open an empty. The pair found no fiends on their way through the canyons.

"Is Tidus sure they are here?"

"They have to be." Tidus muttered.

"Kimahri hopes you are right."

Tidus sighed as the pair walked under the bridge and into the chasm of the Calm Lands. There was no sign of anyone.

The boy strummed his fingers along the handle of Brotherhood, watching for any sign of movement.

"Paine was right. You could hide an army down here, and no one would be able to find them."

"Kimahri hopes they do not have an army."

Tidus laughed.

"Me too."

A few minutes later, the gaping hole into the cavern lay before them.

"You're ready?" Tidus asked.

"Kimahri always ready." The Ronso spun his spear from his back. "Get Yuna back."

Tidus drew Brotherhood.

"I can only hope so." The boy answered.

- - - - -

"Sir Auron!" Yuna shouted.

The red-robed warrior grunted, a slight smile creasing its way across his poorly-shaven chin.

"I'm surprised you remember." His massive blade did not falter against the sword of the yellow robed man. "Stay close to me." He added. "I may be a dead man, but I am still your guardian."

"You would betray the order too, Sir Auron?" The man asked.

"I will say it again. Yevon is nothing now." His speech seemed to make it real.

"Believe what you will, Sir Auron."

Auron lowered his gaze, glaring coldly. The muscles in his arm flexed visibly, and the blade flew from the man's hand.

Auron's next movement was not followed by Yuna. All she saw was the end result. The Yellow-Robed man lay, impaled on Auron's blade. One of his arms was slung over the blade. The other lay on the ground beside him.

Yuna sighed in relief.

"Thank, you, Sir Auron."

He grunted. "Don't call me 'sir'. This isn't over yet."

The man picked himself up off the blade, smiling like a madman.

"You're good, _Sir _Auron… You're very good. I was going to let the others kill you… but now I know… You can be my prize… I'll kill you with my bare hands."

Auron moved his arm quickly. The man's head fell, cleanly separated from his body.

"Did you get him…?"

"Follow me."

The massive warrior took off, his head watching more over his shoulder than in what direction he was traveling.

"Who is he?"

Auron's single good eye twitched.

"Another ghost of Yevon…"

"He's Yevon?"

"No. He is Lord Zaon. Yunalesca's wife." He

"Thank you for the introduction, _Sir _Auron."

Auron blocked two blows before Yuna even recognized where the man had come from.

"Yuna asked me to kill you. I'll enjoy it."

Auron smiled. "Just like she did?" Again, he decapitated the man, before grabbing Yuna's arm and charging off across the Farplane.

They ran for what seemed to be an eternity. Yuna struggled to keep up with Auron's massive strides as he ran full speed toward some destination Yuna could not identify.

When her legs were nearly ready to give out, Auron stopped.

"Jecht!" He bellowed.

"Yeah?" The man answered as he ran down the side of a nearby hill.

"Take Yuna." He ordered, already turning back toward his foe. "Get her out of the Farplane."

The gruff, shirtless, dead Guardian cocked his head toward a massive pillar in the distance.

"Come on, Yuna."

Not knowing what to do, she ran after him.

- - - - -

Tidus led Kimahri slowly through the narrow passages of the cave. Hesitantly, he gripped the handle of Brotherhood, hoping dearly that he wouldn't need to use it.

A sickening crunch told Tidus otherwise, and he spun to meet his foe.

In the end, it was only a small lizard, which Kimahri had impaled on the end of his spear.

The Ronso elder shook his weapon, dislodging the fiend, before he wiped his blade on its corpse, just a moment before it burst into a horde of pryeflies.

"That is it, Tidus. Fiends are gone."

Tidus' mind told him that was wrong as he heard the crunch of mostly-human feet behind him. Brotherhood was already in his hand, and his turn came with a vicious slash.

An open palm stopped it cold in its path.

"Well, well… Tidus. The boy from Zanarkand. Of all the dead in the world, you managed to return to life."

Tidus gasped at the eyes that stared back into his. They revived his worst fear.


	6. Five

_**Five**_

Tidus let his arm move without even thinking about the motion. He easily impaled the man standing before him. His foe looked down, staring at the blade that ran through his chest as though he did not know what to feel.

"You remind me of the Ronso…" He muttered.

Then Kimahri let out an infuriated roar. That was the spark of reality that broke Tidus' shock.

"Seymour!" The Ronso elder shouted.

"And there the beast is now."

Tidus ripped Brotherhood out of the half-Guado's chest, diving away as he felt the Pyreflies begin to swell around Seymour's hand.

"Magic." He shouted to Kimahri.

The Ronso dove to the side, but his action did little good. A deep black bolt of lightning flew from the hand of the dead Maester, striking Kimahri as though he had not even attempted to avoid the attack.

Tidus gasped, dashing over to his companion's side as the Ronso's deep blue fur spiked up from his body. He fell to the ground, smoke rising from his body.

The dull thud of a body hitting the ground echoed over the empty cavern. Tidus fell to his knees before the smoking body of the Ronso elder.

"A shame… but only the dead can be let to live." Seymour's droning voice echoed through the cavern. "That is they way of Spira, and the great spiral of death."

Tidus spun, and his watery blade met Seymour's neck. It stopped instantly on his flesh.

"Fight me all you want, but you cannot harm me."

- - - - -

Jecht ran far faster than Yuna could ever possibly match. The seasoned athlete had not lost any of his speed in death, it seemed.

"What's wrong? Lady Yuna can't keep up?"

Yuna paused for a moment.

"You sound like…" Her lips froze up as she faced the taboo that had silently set itself into place the moment her pilgrimage had succeeded.

Since that day, a dread silence had fallen over the Legendary Guardians. Not a single one of them would speak his name, because they understood just how easy the happiness and peace of the Eternal Calm could be shattered.

Then she realized how stupid the thought seemed. She had just talked to Auron, only a few minutes before. 

"Like Auron? I've had six years to sit and talk to him." Jecht muttered sarcastically. "He hasn't changed a bit."  
"I noticed." Yuna answered, smiling.

"Well, hurry up. We're almost there."

"Where?"

"Guadosalam."

Yuna looked up. High above their heads sat the rocky platform that held any visitors to the Farplane.

"How are we supposed to get all the way up there?"

Jecht laughed.

"Grab onto my shoulders, Yuna."

Still unsure of what he meant, Yuna wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tightly.

She heard Jecht's callous laugh.

"Here we go." And with that, he leapt straight into the air.

Yuna gasped as the wind rushed past her hair. The man's jump was amazing. They cleared nearly half the distance before he even began to slow down.

"Are we going to make it?"

"Not in one jump." He answered, holding out an open palm. Pyreflies swarmed together, taking the form of his black sword. Yuna had only seen it twice before. Once was the first time she had met him as a child. The second time was when she had killed him.

Yuna watched in awe as he hurled his sword up to the rocky platform. The blade slid easily into the rock, lodging itself there.

Jecht lifted his other arm, and Pyreflies formed around it as well. From between his fingers, a long steel chain linked the pair to the sword.

Jecht laughed.

"Just in time."

"What?" 

"We were just starting to fall." He answered, beginning to climb the chain, arm over arm.

A few moments later, the pair reached the platform.

"Well, this is it, Yuna. It was good to talk to you."

Yuna smiled back at him.

"Yes. Send my father my regards."

"Why don't you give them to me yourself?"

Yuna spun at the voice.

"Father!"

She wrapped her arms around him. He still wore the same red robe that he had chosen the day he had left her.

"I'm so proud of you, Yuna." He whispered into her ear. "But now, you must go."

Yuna broke her grip, nodding slowly. It didn't truly bother her, having to leave him again. She had long since become used to goodbyes.

- - - - -

Tidus ripped off his gloves as he knelt over Kimahri's injured body.

"Don't die on me." He muttered, channeling the little magic he had been taught by Yuna.

Kimahri's fur settled down, returning to its normal, well-groomed sheen. Tidus then saw the bleeding wound.

It was easily as big as his fist, and ran through his left shoulder, at the base of his neck. From its edge, Tidus could even make out Kimahri's spine.

Quickly, he put his limited energy into healing it. Some of the flesh stitched together, but it did little good.

Sighing, Tidus wrapped his hands together for a final spell.

"Maybe this will help." He muttered. The magic wrapped once more around his fingers. This time, he cast not a healing spell, but one that changed the flow of time. Kimahri's bleeding slowed to a crawl, and Tidus relaxed slightly. That would buy him time.

Then he heard the clinking of steel armor, and he jumped to his feet, sword in his hand.

"Tidus!" Came a cold, demanding voice.

"Paine?"

Tidus lowered Brotherhood as the black warrior entered the cavern, accompanied by at least fifty Warrior-Monks, all armed with rifles. She herself carried a long curved sword.

"What happened?" She asked.

"No time!" Tidus shouted. "Help me get him out of here."

At his words, half a dozen of the soldiers handed their guns to their companions and lifted the injured Ronso, and carried him out.

"What happened here? Did you find the assassins?"

"Worse."

"Worse?" Paine asked.

"Seymour." Tidus answered, charging off after the six soldiers who carried Kimahri.

Paine cast a cryptic glance at him, but held her question to herself.

- - - - -

Tidus sighed as Kimahri was set down in the hospital bed of Bevelle.

"Will he be all right?" He asked, no less worried than he had been the moment the blow had landed.

"He'll be fine." The monk answered. "It is a good thing you were there. He would have bled to death in an hour."

Tidus nodded, but the man's words did little to calm him.

"Tidus. There you are."

Tidus turned slowly.

"Baralai. What do you want?"

A gentle laugh escaped the Praetor's lips.

"I assume you found them." He answered, gesturing toward the hole in Kimahri's shoulder.

"No. It was worse."

"What?"

"We found Seymour."

Even the ever-calm Baralai was stunned by this.

"Quick… come with me."

Tidus hesitated only for a moment before following.

Baralai pushed through doorway after doorway, until finally the pair entered an enormous room. In its center was an enormous round table, adorned with a map of Spira. Around its edges were easily a hundred seats, although only three were filled.

"Tidus!" Gippal announced, fulfilling his usual role as the loudest of the three leaders.

Tidus nodded, but Baralai ushered him forward, into a chair.

"What is it, Baralai?" Nooj asked. Paine remained silent in the fourth chair.

"Kimahri and I went down into the cavern looking for the Disciple of Yunalesca… but we found Seymour instead."

Gippal's eye widened.

"Seymour Guado…"

Nooj slowly drew a pistol out of a holster at his waist.

"This is much worse than we thought. He is an unsent?"

Tidus nodded.

Nooj sighed. "Well then I suppose we will have to…"

His words were interrupted by the room's doors flying open. As one, the group shot to their feet.

"Yuna!" Tidus shouted.

She smiled, as though nothing had happened to her. Then she glanced around the room, and her calm, controlled demeanor returned.

"Where were you?"

"Zanarkand, and then the Farplane." She answered. "But that's not important."

"How is that not important?" Paine asked.

"Listen." She muttered, slapping her hand against the table. "This is important. The man in the yellow robes is Lord Zaon."

"That's impossible…" Baralai muttered.

"How…" Gippal asked himself.

"Who's Zaon?" Tidus asked.

Nooj sighed quietly, rising to his feet.

"He was Yunalesca's husband."

"What?" He asked his voice rising to an angry shout.

"Tidus…" Baralai muttered. "Yuna, how did you find this out?"

She paused, before answering. "Auron told me."

The room fell dead silent. No one spoke, or moved, or dared to whisper even a single word. The silence lasted for what seemed like forever, before Tidus broke it.

"You talked to the old man?"

Yuna nodded slowly. "He saved me from Zaon."

Tidus sighed. _At least three of us still do our jobs as Guardians…_

"Well, Yuna, we also have bad news." Gippal began.

"What?" She asked.

Tidus turned to her. "Kimahri and I went looking for you. We went down to that old cave in the Calm Lands…" He paused for a moment. "… and we found Seymour."

Yuna gasped, grabbing onto the back of a chair to keep from falling over in shock.

"You mean…"

Tidus nodded.

Then Yuna looked around quickly.

"Where's Kimahri?"

"In the hospital. He's alive, but he got hurt bad."

"How bad?"

"He'll survive." Tidus answered. "But he probably can't fight."

Yuna looked down at her feet. _They're still getting hurt because of me…_

"What now?" Paine asked.

A long pause settled over the group, before Tidus suddenly thought of something. It seemed hilarious to Yuna that she could tell he had a plan just by watching his face. He seemed to brighten, and light up, just as the thought came to his mind.

"We'll go back to Zanarkand."

"Why?" Paine asked.

"Because that's where he took you to go into the Farplane."

"So…?" Gippal asked.

"There wasn't a live Fayth in Zanarkand, so there shouldn't have been a Farplane hole there. That's there base. I guarantee it." 


	7. Six

**_Six_**

Tidus grunted as he stepped into the open circle of land. A small dark stain on the brown dirt was all that remained of the campfire of six years before.

"You sound like Auron." Gippal muttered, laughing to himself.

One by one, the eyes of the group riveted on him with cold glares.

"Sorry…" He muttered under his breath a moment later. "I guess I hit a nerve…"

Gippal then realized that Nooj was standing just over his shoulder.

"We don't care." He answered, nodding toward Baralai. "But don't offend them."

Tidus grunted again, glancing over his shoulder toward the pair.

Then Nooj smiled to himself, whispering into Gippal's ear again.

"But you're right."

Tidus spun Brotherhood from his back, decapitating a fiend that the three faction leaders had not even noticed.

"Keep your eyes open." He muttered, before walking up next to Yuna.

"Are you all right?" She asked him quietly.

"We shouldn't have brought them. This isn't their business."

"It's not just about us this time."

"It wasn't just about us the first time. Spira matters, but we don't need them to do it. If the others won't come, then you and I can do it ourselves."

"Why don't you like them?" Yuna asked.

Tidus grunted again. "I'm in a bad mood, I guess. Out of the whole group, it's just you and me and Kimahri, and he's already down." Tidus didn't realize that his voice was rising as he spoke.

"Tidus, calm down. Things are going to be all right. They always are." Yuna pushed herself up on a single foot to embrace him around his neck.

Tidus opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Finally, he sighed, returning her hug.

"How touching…" A sarcastic voice muttered behind Yuna's back. Tidus broke free of her arms, spinning Brotherhood in his free hand.

"Seymour!"

The half-Guado smiled back at Tidus.

"You are… as persistent as ever."

A deafening crack echoed over the open air. Seymour fell to the ground on his back.

"What the…" Tidus then noticed the slight trail of smoke leaking out of the end of Yuna's pistol. "Oh…"

Yuna didn't break her gaze from Seymour's body as she drew out her second pistol. When he slowly began to rise, she was ready. Another deafening crack echoed over the open air. This time, Tidus charged forward, bringing his liquid blade to bear against the Maester.

"Why are you here!"

Seymour smiled as blood ran down his lips.

"Still as naïve as ever, Tidus…"

Tidus wrapped his fingers around Seymour's neck, squeezing with all of his might.

"_Why _are you here?"

Seymour smiled the terrible, vicious smile that both Yuna and Tidus had come to fear, just a moment before bursting into a flash of Pyreflies.

Tidus screamed angrily at the dead city of Zanarkand, before smashing his fist into the ground.

"Tidus… are you all right?"

Tidus panted slowly, and Yuna could see his shoulders rising and falling as he struggled to calm himself.

"I'm… I'll be fine." He answered, through clenched teeth.

"Let's go."

- - - - -

Tidus and Yuna led the way deep into the bowels of the dead city. In the six years since he had seen it last, the ruins had not changed in the slightest. Down to the last pile of dusty rubble, they remained the same.

The dome, filled to the brimming with Pyreflies, was surprisingly devoid of fiends or even of the misguided silhouettes of the long-since dead. Not a single sign of movement rang through the entire massive dome.

"This is too quiet…" Gippal muttered. Nooj shot him a quick glance, and he fell silent. Those were the only words spoken on the way into the Chamber of the Final Fayth.

Finally, they reached the massive room that housed the elevator into the depths of Zanarkand.

"Are we ready?" Tidus asked quietly.

One by one, the members of the group nodded at him. Together, they stepped onto the platform, which carried them down into the bowels of the earthen-walled catacomb.

The dull grinding of the half-dead magic that supported the platform echoed through the closed space, until finally they reached the floor below.

Yuna gasped at what she saw.

Before them, another of the black-clad assassins knelt over the top of a massive crystal which could only be a Fayth.

Tidus acted first, charging forward before the man could react. Nooj raised his small pistol faster than Tidus could run, firing off a single shot.

The bullet bounced off an invisible barrier that seemed to sit before the man.

Tidus blow was likewise blocked.

The man let his arms extend to his sides, and a massive Yevonite glyph appeared on the ground before him.

"What's he doing?" Baralai asked.

"A summoning." Yuna answered, firing blast after blast at the man.

Strike after strike, shot after shot, the group's efforts to harm the man fell away like water.

"Now fall, heretics!" Tidus heard the man scream as a massive fiery portal opened in the ground beneath him.

"Ifrit?" Baralai asked.

Tidus swore, diving backward as he carefully blocked a blow from a long black sword easily as wide as he was tall.

"No." He muttered.

A clawed hand shot out of the portal, gripping deep into the ceiling. The muscles of the arm flexed, pulling from the abyss an evil, sickening Aeon.

It had four legs, and held in its right hand the same massive sword. Fire burnt across its back and shoulders.

Yuna stared up at the creature, before throwing her pistols away. They briefly clattered against the stone floor before coming to a halt.

From her back, she drew the long Summoners staff of her own pilgrimage.

Quickly, she spun it over her head in arc after beautiful arc. It was the second time Tidus had witnessed her skill and sheer perfection at her art.

She performed the Sending.

The man behind the monster laughed.

"You cannot send an Aeon."

His smile disappeared as a burst of Pyreflies appeared before him.

Nooj lifted his weapon slowly. His shot was dead on.

A moment later, the Aeon dissolved into a flurry of Pyreflies. The man lay dead, a tiny hole running straight through his skull.

"They can summon." Tidus muttered coldly.

"What does this mean for us?" Baralai asked.

"It means they have a power we can't copy. When we sent the Fayth at the end of my Pilgrimage, the last of the Aeons died. We will have to fight the Aeons with our own strength."

"That won't be too hard…"

Tidus lifted a hand.

"Yes it will. Look at this."

The group gathered around the crystalline cage of the Fayth. The color of the statue within began to fade with a frightening speed.

"What does this mean?" Nooj asked Yuna.

"The Fayth is dead."

"But… Fayth don't die after you send them, do they?" Tidus asked.

"Not normal Fayth. But remember what Fayth was here when we came…"

Tidus drew in a harsh breath.

"The Fayth of the Final…"

"Yes." Yuna explained. "They are using _Final _Aeons against us."

"But the only difference between a Final Aeon and a normal Aeon was that the Final Aeons could defeat sin." Baralai noted.

"No." Yuna answered him. "That was what Yevon told us. But there is another difference between Aeons. Final Aeons were the means by which Sin was reborn."

Silence fell over the group once more.

Then, all at once, the walls began to crack, and the ground itself shook.

"Earthquake?" Tidus asked.

Yuna didn't answer, instead dashing further into the ruins.

"Where are we going?" Baralai shouted.

"Where there isn't any ground!" Tidus answered, ramming through the double doors that led into Lady Yunalesca's room. Yuna herself was already halfway through the portal at the top of the stairs.

"Quick!" Tidus shouted, running forward.

One by one the group dove through the portal.

- - - - -

The room on the opposite side fulfilled the group's needs easily. The stone platform floated in a sea of stars, untouched by the shaking of the world.

"Are we all here?" Yuna asked.

Tidus glanced around, before realizing that Nooj was missing.

"Nooj!" Gippal and Baralai shouted at once.

Tidus dove back into the collapsing room.

- - - - -

Nooj lay on the ground only a few feet from the portal. The room shook more violently as Tidus grabbed the Mevyn by his prosthetic shoulder tossing him toward the portal.

The man flew clear easily, and Tidus charged forward toward the gateway again.

As he approached the opaque liquid surface, it dissolved.

"Going somewhere?" A voice asked from behind him.

Tidus spun quickly.

"You!"

"Don't you know my name, Tidus?"

Tidus paused for a moment as bricks fell from the ceiling above him.

"Zaon?"

"_Lord _Zaon." The yellow-robed man corrected as he drew his sword.

"You're insane. 'You stage all this just to kill me?"

"No. This isn't some random earthquake, though. Sin grows violently."

Tidus gasped as Zaon slid his pair of swords free of their sheathes.

"Didn't you suspect it? Are you really so foolish. From what I've heard, you were never the brains of your group, but nonetheless… The hints were everywhere."

Tidus dashed forward, bringing Brotherhood to bear on the man.

The watery blade lopped his head clear off. The decapitated head burst into Pyreflies, rejoining with his neck.

"Quite entertaining, really. But you'll be the one who dies here, Tidus. I can easily survive being crushed. Can you say the same?"

Tidus glanced at the man again, before charging down the hall past him.

"You'd best hurry, Tidus. The ruins should collapse within ten minutes."

The young Blitzball star dove onto the elevator platform, rising almost as quickly.

- - - - -

Yuna, Baralai, and Gippal gasped as Nooj flew through the portal. He landed on his face, and they quickly crowded around him. Yuna flipped him over slowly.

A massive spike of stone ran straight through his heart.

"No…" Gippal whispered under his breath. Silent tears formed in Baralai's eyes.

Yuna rose slowly.

"He always said he was looking for a place to die…" Baralai whispered. "He finally found it."

Yuna placed a shoulder on his hand.

"There is no better place to die than here."

Baralai and Gippal both looked up at her.

"So many great men and women have died on these stones…" Tears formed in her eyes as well.

"And it is a fitting place to die." Another sickeningly sweet voice followed Yuna's.

The three spun as one.

"You!" Yuna's tears turned to rage in an instant.

Baralai and Gippal were speechless.

"Forgive me." The woman muttered. "I am Lady Yunalesca, First High Summoner."

Weapons were drawn quickly. Baralai and Gippal charged straight at her.

"No!" Yuna shouted, but her words were too late.

A few seconds passed in the space of eternity. Gippal's rifle and Baralai's staff clattered to the ground with a cold ring. Only a moment later, their bodies fell with dull crunches.

"So sad… and yet death is the way of Spira. I seem to remember almost exactly the same thing before…"

Yuna stared as once again, Pyreflies coalesced into the image of a striking young man with an impossibly large Katana.

"You killed them!" He screamed, charging toward Yunalesca.

She merely waved her hand, and he died, the memory of his body landing just between Gippal and Baralai's.

"Ah, yes… _him._ Well, High Summoner Yuna… I must tell you that I am sorry, but you must die here."


	8. Seven

"So, my beloved High Summoner… are you ready to see the Farplane firsthand

"So, my beloved High Summoner… are you ready to see the Farplane firsthand?"

Yuna responded by placing a cold hand on her waist. Her hand moved like lightning, bringing a third, well-hidden pistol to bear against Yunalesca.

The bullet stopped cold in midair, no more than an arm's length from Yunalesca's cold face.

"So low, have you stooped? You use _machina _against me?"

Yuna responded with a burst of gunfire. Each bullet ended just as the first had.

"You have fallen far to face me like this, Lady Yuna." The elder woman lifted her arms. Sickeningly black tentacles rose out of the cobblestones around her.

"Now… let us end this."

Yuna dove to the side of a black spike that rose out of the ground before her. He dodge left her flying toward another cluster of the tentacles.

- - - - -

The ruins of Zanarkand shattered around Tidus as he darted between the fallings stones of the once great Blitzball dome. The path shattered to pieces in front of his feet, and he leapt haphazardly, often tripping and stumbling, as his eyes struggled to keep up with his feet.

A dull clicking noise echoed through the air behind him.

"Stop, boy."

His feet slid to a halt.

"So… Zaon was right. Well, then…"

Tidus turned slowly. His gaze was met by a rather fat man in light orange robes and an equally brilliant skullcap.

"You…"

"Don't you remember my name?" the man asked him coldly.

Tidus thought back to the pilgrimage. "You're Kinoc."

Wen Kinoc smiled to himself as he yanked back on the safety of his rifle.

"Very good. Now, here's how this works. If you run, I shoot you in the leg, and you can lie bleeding until a rock hits you. Or you can wait here until the same happens. Choice's yours, kid."

Tidus watched Kinoc's eyes closely.

"You're siding with Seymour? After he killed you?"

"He did me a favor. Spira is a land of the dead. You corrupted that, and we're here to put things back to the right way."

"You call a thousand people dying a year from a monster they can't control… you call that the _right _way?" Tidus shouted.

"It is the way it has always been."

"That makes it right? Have you seen the people of Spira? Have you seen how happy they are? Yet you won't leave it alone, because you think everyone should be as miserable as you, just another unsent walking corpse."

Kinoc fired a shot, which ripped through Tidus' leg, just above the knee. It was a wide shot, barely connecting with his flesh, but it still hurt terribly.

"The unsent are the true power of Spira."

"No! No, that's not right!" Tidus shouted, ever louder. His voice carried far, even over the cracking of the falling stones.

Then, with a powerful push from his wounded leg, he dove into the air.

Kinoc smiled as he pulled down on the trigger of his gun again and again. Seven bullets ripped through Tidus' flesh.

- - - - -

Yuna's arms were quickly wrapped in the black tentacles, holding her in place. Her feet hung, a good foot over the ground.

"What can you possibly do to me?"

"This." Yunalesca muttered, letting her arms slide open. A black, swirling whirlpool opened in the ground between the pair. In it's center, a sparse group of Pyreflies hovered like stars in the deep abyss.

Then slowly, like a dream, a red figure appeared.

"No… no… you wouldn't!"

Yunalesca smiled to herself.

"Easily."

Then a long iron staff took its form, before the man rose up out of the blackened portal.

"Father!"

"Yuna… I'm so proud of you!" Then he glanced down in horror as his arms drew back his staff of their own accord.

"What are you doing?" Yuna shouted.

"I…" Braska found himself lost for words. "I'm sorry, Yuna…"

"He prepares the Fayth of the Final Summoning. You will make a wonderful Sin, Yuna."

Yuna's eyes widened as Braska's staff danced its fatal dance around her. The crystalline stone began to slowly crack free of the ground at her feet.

"Yuna…" Tears leaked down Braska's cheeks of their own accord.

"Why do you cry for her?" Yunalesca asked. "She will restore order. She will redeem the spiral of death, and restore Spira."

"I'm afraid not." Another cold voice muttered, and at once all three turned to look around.

Another red figure rose out of the swirling abyss. He carried a massive blade over his shoulder, but his smile was clearly visible.

"You!" Yunalesca shouted.

"I've been waiting sixteen years." He answered her, flinging his jacket off of his left shoulder, and grabbing onto his blade.

"I killed you once…" She muttered, backing away, as the man's feet met solid ground.

"Not again." Auron answered, charging forward.

Braska's steel staff met the enormous blade, releasing a spray of sparks into the air.

"Good to see you, Auron."

Auron grunted.


	9. Eight

Tidus screamed in pain as his body fell to the flagstone floor of the massive dome

Tidus screamed in pain as his body fell to the flagstone floor of the massive dome.

"You see, Tidus… Spira was always meant to be a dead world." Kinoc explained slowly, reloading his gun.

"Well then… It's a good thing we have the Farplane, isn't it?"

Kinoc turned toward the strange voice, but his motion was interrupted by a long black blade that slid straight through his ribcage.

"Huh?" Tidus looked up as Kinoc's limp form landed in front of him with a dull crunch.

"At least you aren't cryin' this time." Jecht joked, laughing. He jumped down from his high ground, grabbing onto Tidus' hand and helping him up.

"Thanks dad." Tidus muttered, gasping. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your sorry ass." Jecht muttered, spinning around to stab Kinoc again. The unsent Maester was knocked to the ground once more, and Jecht quickly decapitated him. The body burst into Pyreflies, leaving only open ground.

"Well, now that that's done…"

"We aren't out of this yet." Jecht muttered. "Try to keep up." With that, he darted off toward the exit from the dome.

Tidus picked up after him. His wounded leg lasted exactly three steps before he fell over again.

Slowly, he stumbled back to his feet. That was the moment he heard the creaking groan of the steel roof high above him. He looked up just in time to see a steel girder falling toward his head.

- - - - -

Auron grunted with a half-smile on his face. It was the sort of smile he wore just before he killed something that he really wanted dead. Yuna had seen it four times – against Yunalesca and against Seymour after he killed Kinoc.

Braska blocked blow after blow that Auron directed at Yunalesca. Finally, out of agitation, he turned his gaze to his oldest friend.

"Finally, you look at me, Auron."

He grunted coldly, tensing his glare, as he brought his massive blade around for another swing.

"How touching… the father, the daughter, and the Guardian, together at last…" Yunalesca's sentence was cut off by another swift shot from Yuna. Auron smiled again, finding another of his hidden ironies in the situation.

"Machina don't bother you anymore, I see…" He muttered as he bashed again and again against Braska's guard.

"You haven't changed at all."

Braska continued to block each of Auron's strikes. He sighed as Yunalesca rose to her feet again, stabbing a sharp black tentacle into Auron's back.

"This is too much for you two. If I keep distracting you, you'll die."

Auron lifted his foot, delivering a swift kick against Braska's chest. The frail man was knocked onto his back.

Spinning quickly, the Warrior-Monk rammed his sword into Yunalesca's chest. She glanced down at it as if it were a minor paper cut. The red-clad Guardian yanked his blade free, and then spun in a wide circle. His blade was stopped just an inch from her neck by Braska's staff.

Auron's body seemed to tense.

"Yuna, run!"

"But Sir Auron…"

"Go! It is a Guardian's duty to lay down his life for his Summoner. Run away!"

Yuna swallowed back a bit of bile as three more tentacles ripped open the man's back.

"No, Auron. I won't watch you die again!"

Auron grunted.

"You still don't understand. I see you've grown, though…"

The massive warrior turned in place slashing the three tentacles that attacked him from their bases. Then, with a quick dash, he charged up next to Yuna. She expected him to stop. Instead, he wrapped his free arm around her waist, picking her up in a swift motion. She knew he was strong, but his might seemed insane as he casually flipped her up and tossed her onto his shoulder.

"Sorry, Yuna, but there's not time. I'm much faster." With that, the unsent warrior charged off past Yunalesca and Braska, running deep into the ruins of Zanarkand.

Wind rushed past Yuna's hair as she hung limply.

"Auron."

"Yes?" He asked, casting a quick glance over his shoulder.

"What did Father mean when he said you would die?"

Auron sighed. "You can tell I'm not as young as I used to be…"

"What?" Yuna asked.

"Yuna, I died when I was twenty-six. In the ten years between your father's pilgrimage and your own, I aged far more than any normal man. An Unsent does not age the way a living person does. They age from guilt and emotion, rather than the passage of time."

"They?"

"Yuna, even though I looked old, I was still as strong as the day I died. Today, however, I feel my age."

"You mean…"

"I am alive."

- - - - -

Wakka sat quietly on the beach of Besaid, staring off into the distance.

"Still out here?"

"'Couldn't sleep. Been a week now…"

"'You sad, daddy?"

Wakka smiled at his son.

"No, Vid'. Just thinkin' 'bout Yuna, ya?"

"'Ya!" The little boy answered enthusiastically, not understanding the situation.

"That's my boy." Wakka muttered, ruffling the boy's brilliant orange hair.

"You're worried about them."

"'Course I am. Just 'cause I didn't come don't mean I don't care."

"We should have gone."

"'Why? We got lives now, ya? I ain't leaving him like Braska left Yuna!" Wakka realized a moment later that he was shouting.

"Daddy, who's 'Braska?'"

Wakka sighed.

"I'll tell ya when you're older."

"But I wanna' know now!"

Wakka laughed gently, before turning to Lulu.

"I'll bring him home later."

"If you're all right…" Lulu answered, walking back toward the village.

- - - - -

Kimahri rose from his bed slowly. His legs were still weary from not walking, and he was hardly in shape to fight, but he could move.

"Where… where Yuna?"

"Elder seeks Yuna again?" A tall blue figure asked. He leaned casually against the wall.

"Must see Yuna. Kimahri is Guardian. Must protect Yuna."

"Other Ronso think Kimahri is bad elder. Think we need new elder."

Kimahri turned, a growl developing in his throat.

"Yuna save Spira. Ronso _will _save Yuna!"

"Ronso are not Yuna Guardians. Only Kimahri."

Kimahri walked forward slowly.

"Other Ronso say these things? Kimahri thinks you do."

The other Ronso smiled.

"So Elder is not idiot…"

Kimahri slammed a fist into the other Ronso's face. A dull crunch echoed through the air as his nose broke.

"Get out. Sacred Mountain banishes you."

"Kimahri cannot banish. Kimahri is not elder."

Kimahri drew back his fist again. The other Ronso pushed his way out of the room, laughing as he went.

A tear fell down Kimahri's cheek, but it was not for the Ronso.

"Kimahri failed Yuna…"

- - - - -

Rikku sighed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Hey, pops! How's wing three coming?"

"Good enough." Cid answered.

Rikku sighed. "Good enough as in a day behind schedule?"

"You gotta give construction time, girl."

Rikku rolled her eyes.

"How's Yuna?"

Rikku's eyes shot wide. She had forgotten entirely. Somehow, the fact that her cousin and friend was in danger never crossed her mind.

"I need the Fahrenheit."

"What? We're still using it for…"

"Get the Celsius from Brother. I'm going to Besaid."

"Take a boat." Cid answered grumpily.

"This is important." The girl muttered, dashing out of the room.

- - - - -

Wakka felt the wind on his face, and slowly, he opened his eyes. The beach of Besaid was drenched in sunlight. Off in the distance, he could see the sails of the morning voyage from Kilika. He felt his son's head against his chest and he smiled.

"Mom's gonna kill me, ya?" He whispered.

Then he heard the soft whirring of spinning blades, and he turned slowly. A shadow passed over his head.

Looking up, he smiled.

"Ain't seen that in a while…"

His son shook his head quickly, looking up.

"Huh?"

"Rikku's airship." Wakka explained quickly.

Rikku leapt casually off the bow, landing with a soft splash in the ocean. With barely a minute of swimming, she reached Wakka.

"Hey, Vidina."

The little boy hid his face again.

"Come on, brudda."

"I see you haven't changed, Wakka."

Wakka smiled.

"Never will, ya?"

The horns sounded as the ship pulled into port.

"Oh, shut up!" Rikku shouted, before turning back to Wakka.

"Where's Yuna?"

"I dun know."

Rikku made a face that seemed to be sick.

"But… she's okay, right?"

"I hope so…" Wakka's voice trailed off as his gaze fell onto the dock. "No way, brudda… I don't believe 'dis."

"Huh?" Rikku turned slowly to face the ship. "Oh…" She too found herself at a loss for words.

"Daddy… who's 'da big scary guy?"

Wakka didn't answer his son. Instead, he scooped up the boy and charged up to the dock.

"Yuna!"

"Yuna!"

Yuna smiled, embracing Rikku and Wakka.

"Daddy… daddy, who's 'da scary guy? Daddy?"

Wakka looked down at his son.

"'What's this nonsense, ya?"

"Um, Wakka…" Rikku poked Wakka in the shoulder incessantly.

"Oh, come on. You're almost 's bad as…" Wakka's words died in his mouth.

The group stood in silence a moment. Finally, Rikku broke it by charging forward and wrapping her arms around the man's waist.

"Auron!"

"Sir Auron!"

Auron gave Wakka one of his famous '_screw you_' grunts for using his title. Then he rammed his enormous sword through the planking of the dock and turned back onto the ship.

"Wait…"

"What's gotten into him?"

"Wakka, do you still have a bed?"

"Ya, why?"

He looked straight into her eyes, and instantly knew the answer.

"Is he okay?" Rikku asked.

"He was nearly crushed."

Tidus was half-carried off the boat by Auron, who held one of his arms slung over his shoulder.

"Where?" He asked.

"Wakka's house."

"Where?" Auron asked again. "I've only been here twice."

Yuna laughed to herself slightly.

- - - - -

That night, the original Guardians sat in a wide circle around the fire of Besaid. They were silent, and little emotion passed between them, apart from Tidus' occasional hateful glances at Wakka and Rikku.

"What happened?" Lulu asked.

"Well…" Yuna cast a glance at Auron and Tidus, but both shook their heads. "When we got to Zanarkand, we fought Seymour."

Eight eyes flinched. Three did not, and one could not have even if it wanted to.

"He escaped after a moment, and we went deeper. When we got to where Yunalesca's dead Fayth was, we found a new Fayth. A live Fayth."

No one noticed Auron's cold sigh, hidden behind his cowl.

"There was a Summoner there. We fought him, and killed him. The Aeon died as well. We went further in and found Lord Zaon. He told us that the unsent were making a new Sin. Then he caused an earthquake. We split up. I went further in and found Yunalesca. She killed Baralai and Gippal."

Lulu and Rikku gasped. Wakka lowered his eyes. Tidus and Auron shared a tight, emotionless face.

"Then she opened a portal to the Farplane and summoned my father. Only, it wasn't really him…"

"Spirit Channeling." Auron muttered.

Every eye riveted on him.

"It's an ancient Yevonite technique taught to Maesters and the strongest Warrior-Monks. It allows the user to summon and control any _sent _dead of their choosing."

"You can do it?" Tidus asked.

Auron nodded coldly. "But I would rather die than use it. It kills the Pyreflies used in the summoning."

"Aren't there more than enough Pyreflies in the Farplane?"

Auron sighed gently. "Yes, but that's not what is important. When someone dies, their essence… their soul, it is bound to a specific set of Pyreflies. Those Pyreflies will make up their new body for eternity. And if every one of those Pyreflies dies…"

Yuna's eyes widened slightly.

"You mean…"

"Yes. It is possible to kill an Unsent, permanently. For some rare few, there is no life after death." Auron sighed again, rising to his feet. "But this is not the time for that."

"What should we do?" Tidus asked.

Auron smiled to himself, but his face was hidden by his cowl.

"Let's go back to Zanarkand!" Rikku shouted.

"You should have been there the first time." Tidus muttered.

"Why do _we _always have to save the world?" Rikku asked, angry at Tidus.

He pushed himself up again, turning his back on the group.

"Where are you going?" Yuna asked him. He waved his gauntleted hand in the air, walking off into the darkness of the night.

Yuna sighed gently, laying her head in her hands.

"What to do… what to do… What can I do?"

"Lady Yuna seeks guidance?"

Yuna looked up suddenly. Slowly, Kimahri limped into sight from the darkness around the group.

"Kimahri!" Rikku rushed up, embracing him. He glanced down at her for a moment, before turning his attention to Yuna.

"Lady Yuna, Kimahri is sorry. Kimahri has failed Yuna."

"What? What do you mean, Kimahri?"

"Kimahri is no longer Ronso elder. Ronso have abandoned Kimahri."

"Kimahri…" Yuna was too shocked at this revelation to speak. Too much had happened in the past days, and now she had very little pity left.

"Kimahri understands. Where Tidus?"

"He's right…" Yuna's words died off. "I… I don't know."

- - - - -

"Why don't they understand?" Tidus shouted.

"Because they still think of Spira in terms of themselves. They aren't ready to give life up just yet."

"Auron? Why are you back here anyway?"

"I still have a duty to fulfill. I am still her Guardian."

"She isn't a Summoner anymore."

"That doesn't end my obligation to Braska."

"But…" Tidus' words were cut off by a sharp scream that echoed through the doorway of the long-abandoned Besaid Temple.

"Yuna?"

Auron didn't bother answering. He was out the door, blade in hand, before Tidus even had time to pick up Brotherhood.

"Seymour…" Wakka muttered.

Auron took a split second to analyze the situation. Wakka and Lulu were huddled around a child, completely ignoring Yuna. Kimahri was unconscious on the ground at her feet.

_When did he get here?_

Rikku stood, back to back with Yuna, holding two tiny knives against a pair of long, curved swords wielded by a man in a yellow robe… a surprisingly familiar yellow robe.

After that moment of analysis, he dashed forward, sliding his blade through Seymour's back. The half-Guado didn't seem to mind.

"Ah… the Legendary Guardian. Yet you lack the scent of the Farplane. How is it that you have come to be this way?"

Auron responded by bringing his blade around in another wide arc. This time, Seymour's right arm fell to the ground.

"Sir Auron!"

Auron looked around.

"You two!" He barked at Wakka and Lulu. "Help Tidus and Yuna." With that, he turned around and with a mighty kick, dove into the air.

- - - - -

Lord Zaon was surprised when his blades met solid steel.

"We meet again." Auron noted.

"You? Do you think you can beat me?"

Auron grunted, swinging his massive blade again to push the two swords away from Rikku.

"Go! I can deal with him."

Rikku nodded, turning toward Seymour.

"Well, now that there are no more distractions… let us see if you really are the greatest swordsman who ever lived."

Auron responded by reaching up to his chest. With as single quick movement, he tore his red robe entirely off. It blew away in the night-time breeze. Another flash of his hand tore off his cowl. The muscular man was left in his black breastplate, his slacks, and his steel toed boots. Casually, he slung his massive weapon over his shoulder.

"Are you insane? You can't beat me! I'm unsent. You're just another person now."

Auron glared down at the man, and for just a moment, it seemed that his dead eye moved as well.

"True power lies in the living. That is why the Unsent will never win."

- - - - -

Yuna unleashed shot after shot into Seymour's battered body, but it didn't seem to faze him. Instead, the Maester opened a single palm at her. For a moment, Pyreflies gather, before she unleashed another volley into the hand. His magic dispersed.

"Well, well, Lady Yuna. It seems that we have reached an impasse. Allow me the honor of ending this."

The Guado's hands wove through the air, before coming to rest on a long, blue spear.

Quickly, he drew it back, aiming perfectly for Yuna's head.

"Not today!" Tidus shouted, diving over Seymour's head. His perfect aim landed him directly atop the spear, and he rode it to the ground at Yuna's feet.

"Thanks." Yuna said, kissing Tidus gently on the cheek before returning to the battle.

"Well, then..." Seymour muttered, lifting a single hand into the air. "…If I must… Men, kill them."

Out of the jungle of Besaid, easily a hundred of the black-clad warriors attacked.

- - - - -

Auron glanced quickly to the side with his single eye.

"Ready to finish this, Auron?" Zaon taunted.

Auron grunted back, spiking his blade into the island soil. Then, casually, he held his right hand out into open air. Pyreflies coalesced around it, taking the form of a sword. A moment later, the steel materialized.

"No… Impossible…" Zaon muttered.

"Masamune. The sword of Lord Mihen." Taking it gently in one hand, he ripped his own blade out of the ground with the other.

From there, the duel lasted for exactly six strikes. Auron lunged out with both blades, and they were blocked by Zaon's pair. With a spin of his wrist, Auron tore one of the swords out of Zaon's grip. He brought his own sword around, spinning it over his head for force, before slamming it into Zaon's remaining blade. A moment later, he broke the guard-lock with Masamune, shattering Zaon's second sword into a million tiny pieces.

Finally, he spun both blades in circle over his shoulders, before ramming Masamune through Zaon's heart, and Auron's own nameless blade between Zaon's eyes.

Pyreflies swarmed over his hands as Zaon's body disintegrated.

"I'll be back for you on the Farplane." Auron muttered, turning toward Seymour.

- - - - -

Tidus and Yuna wore their way through the mass of foes, trying to get to Seymour.

"Oh, my!" Seymour muttered over the din of combat. "Look at this!" At first, Yuna was confused. Then the Maester held up a single hand.

"Daddy!" Vidina screamed.

All at once, the fighting stopped.

"I suggest you surrender, Lady Yuna. You will not be harmed."

Yuna slid her guns back into their holsters.

Then, suddenly, out of the sky, their salvation arrived.

Wakka stood at the far edge of the massive crowd of soldiers. Under his arm was the bladed, red ball he had been awarded for winning the Luca Championship. World Champion, it was called. Now, however, it didn't want victory. It wanted blood.

At first, the Besaid team's captain used the ball as a melee weapon, swinging it back and forth, taking massive chunks out of the men around him. Finally, he felt close enough. Slamming the ball into the ground, he jumped into the air.

The weapon bounced back up after him, as he flipped in the air.

_The Supremely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III _Yuna thought to herself.

Wakka slammed his foot into the ball.

It flew far faster than any bullet, arcing widely. When it hit it's target, there was only a dull thump, like a wad of dough hitting a wall.

Seymour looked down slowly, as the Pyreflies began to rise around him. The ball had gone clear through his chest, leaving a perfect circular hole where his heart shoulder have been.

Wakka landed just in front of Seymour. With his left hand, he snatched his falling son out of the air. With his right, he slammed a fist into Seymour's face as hard as he could.

Bone crunched audibly over the village as the bleeding Maester fell onto his back.

Wakka turned slowly. One by one, Seymour's soldiers turned their weapons toward him.

Behind their backs, another figure lifted an arm. Just a moment later, every single one of the men was caught in a massive fireball. Lulu lowered her arm.

Tidus and Yuna were left dumbfounded. Rikku giggled slightly.

"We showed them."

Wakka stood silently, staring at his son with a mix of relief and anguish. Finally he lifted his head.

"Tidus."

"Yeah?"

"Sorry, bro. I'm wit' ya from now on."

Tidus smiled slightly as a tense hand settled onto his shoulder.

"Good work." Auron whispered.

"Now what?" Yuna asked.

"We kill Yunalesca. After that, its over."


	10. Nine

The Fahrenheit hovered over the dead city of Zanarkand

The Fahrenheit hovered over the dead city of Zanarkand.

"Ready to go home?" Auron asked.

Tidus laughed. "You and me both."

Auron shook his head. "No. I have to go back to the Farplane."

"You got brought back for a reason, Auron. Don't you think you should stay?"

Auron grunted. "We'll see." With that, he jumped off the front of the airship, his boots meeting the cold chain of the anchors. Across his back, Masamune was strapped, along with his own sword.

"Are you prepared…?" Auron's question was cut off as he jumped over a kink in the chain. "…to do this, Yuna?"

"Of course."

"You always were determined."

"Hey, Auron."

"What?"

"Where did my dad go after we escaped from here?"

"He was still unsent. Once his business here was finished, the Farplane called him back."

The group of three found their feet on the ground. After the collapse of the dome, the path was much rougher, but at the same time, easier. The gaping holes in the main path had been covered by rubble, leaving a smooth trip.

Auron casually flipped both blades off of his back.

"Nice." Tidus muttered. "How long have you known how to use two?"

Auron grunted, slashing a fiend in half. Sliding his blades back over his back, he continued on his way. After a quick, knowing glance, Tidus and Yuna followed.

- - - - -

"Are you sure you know where you're going, Rikku?" Lulu inquired of the group's pilot.

"Absolutely!" She muttered, ramming controls on the Celsius back and forth. Slowly, the red airship made its way toward Bevelle.

"Why does he want us here anyway?" Paine asked.

"Beats me." Wakka muttered. He sat on the edge of a seat on the airship, holding Vidina in his arms. "But… we can go faster, right?"

Rikku slammed her fist onto the speed control. She was the only member of the group who didn't end up on the floor.

"We okay, daddy?"

"Yeah." Wakka muttered.

Paine fingered her sword from over her back. Then, out of the front screen, she saw.

"Impossible… It can't be!"

"What?"

Paine pointed up to a screen above the navigator's seat. A single black mass occupied the entire space.

"What?" Wakka muttered, rubbing his head. Then he saw the screen. "No way, brudda… No way…"

Then, slowly, Sin turned to face the airship.

- - - - -

"Well, well… If it isn't the Legendary Guardian. I have been waiting a long time."

Tidus drew Brotherhood from his belt, but Auron held up a hand.

"This is my fight. You two help Braska."

"Help?" Yuna asked.

"Kill him. It will free him from the magic." With that, the man walked toward his foe.

_This will be my last fight… one way or another…_

His swords slid off his back.

- - - - -

Yuna followed Tidus through the pair of doors deep within the ruins of Zanarkand.

"How do you know he's here?"

"Because this was my house."

Yuna opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off.

"Yuna… and Tidus." Braska smiled, until his arms lifted his staff. "Please, forgive me."

Yuna lifted her guns, emptying both clips at her father. Bullet after bullet rang out, but all bounced away from him at the last moment, seemingly from some magic.

Braska lifted his staff from the ground, pointing it at Yuna.

Tidus dove in front of her, just as a bolt of lightning flew clear of the High Summoner's weapon. Brotherhood swung straight into the lightning bolt, and a small shock traveled quickly up arm. He grunted in pain, and the smell of burnt flesh permeated the small room.

"Tidus!" Yuna shouted.

"I'm fine." He muttered, dragging himself to his feet.

Yuna tossed her guns aside, drawing her own staff from her back.

"I'm sorry father."

"Don't be."

Then it began.

Magic flew madly from father to daughter and back. The room erupted in flashes of light. White balls surrounded Braska, piercing him from every side as a massive set of swords sliced through Yuna's shoulders, barely missing her head.

She quickly put up a simple shield, guarding her from being caught unaware again. The blue, curved wall of magic would save her against other weapons, but her father's mastery of black magic was too great for her to counter directly.

Suddenly, she found herself watching as Braska worked in slow motion. She looked around to find the answer.

Tidus stood behind her, Pyreflies leaking away from his fingers.

_Of course… Tidus' magic…_

Focusing once more on her father, she pressed the advantage. Blast after blast of glowing energy shot toward him, putting holes in his arms and chest.

Finally, he slowed in his assault.

"I'm so sorry father…"

"Don't stop, Yuna! Don't!"

Braska's staff was rammed straight into the ground. Around him, three black circles opened in the ground.

"What the…" Tidus muttered.

"Aeons." Yuna answered.

Tidus braced himself. It was time for a Guardian to do his duty.

- - - - -

Auron's blades cut a swath through a forest of Yunalesca's vile tentacles. One after another, they became stumps, but there were always two to replace every fallen one. Auron could feel his breathing getting heavy.

"Now you understand, Auron." Yunalesca's voice carried over the room. "This is why I gave you your life back. You are far more dangerous as an Unsent, but as a man, I can kill you again."

Auron spun his blades, slashing off a dozen more tentacles. Then, in an instant, the tentacles were gone. Yunalesca stood, as human as she had been the day he first died.

"Well, come at me." She muttered.

- - - - -

The Celsius flew in wide circles around the giant monster, trying to draw its attention away from the city.

"This isn't working, Rikku. Fire some more missiles." Lulu yelled from her place atop the deck.

"We're out, Lulu!"

Wakka swore gently, bouncing his bladed Blitzball again and again off the inky black skin of the creature.

"The people are gonna die… what do we do?" Rikku shouted helplessly.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across Paine's face.

"Cover me."

"What?" Wakka asked, confused. Paine took a running jump off the side of the airship. She landed perfectly atop Sin's back.

"'You insane?"

"We did it once." Lulu muttered, following her companion's example.

Wakka sighed, following his wife off the edge.

- - - - -

Far below, on the streets of Bevelle, Kimahri gripped his spear in his hands, fighting off fiends and Sinspawn one at a time.

"Elder!"

Kimahri turned slowly as he yanked his spear free of its newest prey.

"You seek Kimahri?"

"No. Ronso seek Kimahri." Behind the speaker stood several hundred well armed Ronso warriors.

"Good." Kimahri then began to shout. "Ronso! Today, we fight! Kimahri may die! Ronso may die! But Ronso will die with honor! Let Spira see Ronso might!"

A thousand roars echoed into the air of Bevelle. Then, as a single body, the Ronso charged.

- - - - -

Tidus found pause in his charge when he saw the Aeon that appeared from the holes.

"Father?"

Braska smiled as his body faded away into Pyreflies.

"You have made me so proud…"

Yuna ran toward her father as he faded away. She was stopped when Tidus dove in front of her, barely managing to knock away a blow from Jecht's sword with Brotherhood.

"Yuna… a little help…" He muttered, struggling in vain to hold off the massive Aeon.

Yuna nodded, drawing back her staff.

Pyreflies gathered around her, forming together in a single brilliant white ball on the end of her staff.

Tidus knocked away blow after blow after blow.

Yuna brought her staff toward the Aeon.

"Forgive me, Sir Jecht."

With that, she released her control of the magic.

- - - - -

Auron felt the cold handles of his blades as he spun them in wide circles.

"Come on! A cowardly Legendary Guardian!"

Auron settled his one-eyed gaze upon her coldly, and for the first time in a thousand years, she felt fear in her heart.

"My name is Auron, and this is _my _story." The Legendary Guardian threw away Masamune, holding his own blade in both hands, exactly the way he had sixteen years before.

With that, he charged.

Yunalesca lifted her hand, channeling again the same fatal blow that had killed him sixteen years before.

Auron did not smile at his revenge, as his blade sunk into her chest. Instead, he grabbed onto her shoulder with a firm grip, pulling her further up the blade.

"How did you… survive…" she gasped, blood leaking down her body.

Only then did Auron smile.

"True power in Spira lies in the hands of the living."

"You can never keep us dead." She wheezed.

Auron tore his blade free. Then, carefully, he opened a small bag on his belt. Out of it he pulled a white robe.

"This was what I was given, more than a lifetime ago. This is the robe of the Commander of the warrior monks." He held it gingerly in his hands, pausing to admire the golden guards on each shoulder. Then, carefully, he wiped his blade across its surface. The white was forever stained red. He shook the garment carefully, before slinging it over his shoulders.

Yunalesca gasped.

"That jacket…"

Auron glared at her fading corpse, slinging his left arm casually in his new red robe.

- - - - -

Tidus stared in awe as a beam of solid Pyreflies tore through the Aeon.

Yuna cried tear after tear as she destroyed the massive creature before her. Finally, it too began to leak Pyreflies, and her own magic faded away.

"It is done." She muttered, falling backward into Tidus' arms.

- - - - -

Wakka stared in awe as Sin's body began to break into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Um… girls…"

"Yes?" Lulu asked.

"Maybe we gotta' go…"

The massive red Airship pulled up beside them, and the group of three ran towards it, taking a running jump onto its deck.

For the second time in their lives, Lulu and Wakka got to watch as Sin exploded in a shower of color.

"Have we won?"

"I think so." Paine answered, walking casually inside.

"Cool." Vidina added, walking up to his mother and father slowly.

- - - - -

"Auron? Auron? Auron!?" Tidus shouted, running through the ruins.

Finally, Tidus darted out into the dome of Zanarkand.

"Tidus." Auron muttered. The boy turned to look at the man who had for so long been his father. The elder of the pair leaned against the wall of the enormous building, exactly the way Tidus had known him to a thousand times, with one leg stuck out just a bit further than the other, and his left arm slung uselessly in his jacket.

"Thanks, Auron."

Auron pushed himself off the wall slowly, turning back toward the Zanarkand Ruins.

"Come with me."

Tidus lifted and eyebrow, but said nothing.

- - - - -

"What is this place?"

"The Den of Pyreflies. The original path to the Farplane, before Guadosalam."

Tidus stared in awe at the room. He could barely see Auron, a mere five feet away, for the thickness of the Pyreflies.

"Now… remember Zanarkand. _ Your_ Zanarkand."

"Our Zanarkand." Tidus muttered, remembering the way it had been.

Auron smiled to himself.

_Zanarkand belongs to you, Tidus. No one else but you._

- - - - -

Tidus opened his eyes in amazement. He stood again just outside the door of his house, that night…

_The night before Sin…_

He felt Yuna shifting in his arms, and quickly rushed inside to set her down on a bed. For some reason, it seemed like a good idea.

"Hello…" She muttered, her eyes slowly focusing. "Tidus!" She bolted upright, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We did it!"

Tidus smiled, matching her embrace.

"Yeah… we did it."

Then Yuna looked around the room.

"Where are we?"

"You remember my promise?"

Yuna thought for a moment, before gently whistling.

Tidus laughed, scratching his head. "Macalania."

Yuna's eyes widened.

"This is…"

"Zanarkand." Tidus answered, helping her up from the bed.

Then came the cheering.

"Come on." He muttered.

Yuna followed him slowly outside the door.

An army of raging fans cheered his name, but it didn't matter to him the way it had the first time he had heard it.

Tidus walked forward slowly.

"Will you sign these?" Three little boys asked.

"Sure." He muttered, giving each ball a quick scrawl of his name.

After seeing Yuna, the two girls refrained from making the same request.

"Come on." Tidus muttered.

"Where are we going?"

"My Blitzball game."

The pair ran wildly through the streets of Zanarkand.

- - - - -

The Guardians of Lady Yuna sat around the campfire of Besaid. On their minds lay a single question, but none had the courage to ask it.

Instead, they exchanged awkward glances at each other as they made unnecessary talk, as though it would somehow make their last three companions come back faster.

"Kimahri is glad Spira is safe."

Finally, Rikku cracked.

"Damn Spira! Why do we always pay the price for Spira to be safe? We've watched them die once and now… now…" Tears rolled down Rikku's cheeks as she sat back down, her anger lost in a see of rolling confusion.  
- - - - -

Yuna cheered madly with the crowd. None of them had ever heard of her. The name 'Yuna' bore no weight. For the first time in her life, she lived a normal life, without a Ronso bodyguard, or a crowd of people who somehow felt that her dying to give them a reprieve from worry was somehow right. Instead, she could simply relax and watch as Tidus played his game. She could think of nothing that mattered more.

The game was tied with ten seconds left. Tidus had the ball. Quickly, he bounced it off two enemy players, and then threw up into the air, spiraling around for a beautiful kick. It soared straight past the goalie with a second left, winning the game.

Yuna shot to her feet cheering. So did three surprisingly familiar faces to her sides.

Tidus jumped out of the pool, landing on the edge of the seating blocks. Quickly, he pushed his way through a crowd of avid fans, walking toward Yuna.

"Well, kid… you finally nailed it. I'm proud of you." Came the unmistakable, gravelly tones of his father.

"An excellent game of Blitzball." Braska muttered.

Auron grunted to himself.

"Does this mean we're dead?" Yuna asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"You? No, of course not. This is the Farplane, though." Braska explained.

"To go home, just think of Spira." Auron added gruffly.

"What about you, Auron? Will you come back with us?"

Auron paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"But…" Yuna began. Tidus placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're sure?"

"This is your world now, Tidus. You know where to find me."

- - - - -

Wakka tossed a Blitzball around with his team, but somehow it didn't seem to matter anymore. The only think that gave him happiness was his son, and even then his thoughts always wandered to having chosen Vidina over Yuna.

"'ey!" the boy shouted.

"Vidina?! Come here!" Wakka called, picking up his son. "Now, do you wanna play Blitzball?"

"'Ya!" The boy shouted enthusiastically.

"Right… toss me the ball."

The team slowly stopped, turning to watch Wakka.

"Now, here's how you play. First thing ya gotta' master's kicking. Watch this." Wakka tossed the ball in the air, before slamming it as hard as he could with a smash from his foot. It flew off, deep into the ocean.

"Slick, Wakka." Rikku muttered from the shore.

"Ah, shut it."

Then, slowly, the ball came flying back. Wakka ducked away from it as it flew straight at his head.

"'Ey! Look, Daddy!"

Wakka lifted his head to see that Vidina had somehow managed to catch the ball.

"What do you think of that? It's the _Supremely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark I. _The real original."

"Tidus!" Wakka and Rikku shouted together. "Yuna!"

There, on the beach, the group was together again.

- - - - -

Later that night, around the campfire, they met again.

"So… Auron…"

Tidus sighed. "He made the same choice as last time. But then again, it is his choice."

Kimahri sighed. "Auron good man."

"Yeah, but you could never get him to talk." Rikku added jokingly. The group laughed as one.

"Better too little than too much." A gruff, sarcastic voice echoed over the quiet village. One by one, the group turned.

Then, softly, they began to laugh as Auron walked into the light of the fire.

"So… you changed your mind?" Yuna asked.

"Only on one condition."

"Yes?"

"_No-one _calls me _Sir _Auron."

That night was the first night that the group truly felt together again. Later, Yuna snuck up on Auron, who was leaning quietly against a pillar.

"Why'd you come back?"

Auron paused, and then turned to her slowly.

"I spent my whole life… and death… fighting for the Calm. It would really be a shame if I wasted it on the Farplane. Your father told me that."

"And…"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't fool me, Auron. I know you well enough to know that no one can convince you of anything."

Auron paused, before sighing again to himself.

"I spent my whole life trying to save Spira, but I never really got to know the world. That's what I want. To be able to go out and actually be a real person, instead of some sort of legend who no one thinks of as a human being."

"So that's why you hate titles."

Auron laughed. "I heard you were a sphere hunter."

Yuna could read his face from a mile away.

"We'd be glad to have you."

- - - - -

The next morning, Paine and Rikku walked slowly to the beach. Auron leaned against the side of the airship, talking to Tidus.

"Here to see us off, old man?"

Auron flipped his massive sword around in his left hand like it was a feather.

"Just like Djose…  
"What?" Rikku asked.

Auron smiled, walking up the ramp to the interior of the Airship.

"As soon as Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we leave…"

- - - - -

"Yuna!"

The High Summoner stopped dead in her tracks.

"Yes?"

"I… I wanted to ask you this before you left…."

Yuna turned slowly.

"Yuna, will you marry me?"

Yuna smiled, taking the ring from Tidus' hands. It was a thin gold band with a single beautiful crystal set in the middle. The edges were engraved with beautiful script.

_Just Whistle_

"Of course." She answered, embracing him. "Wait, aren't you coming with us?"

"I'd love to, but the Blitzball tournament…"

"Oh…" Yuna stared at her feet for a moment. "I'll meet you in Luca."

"Then we can go back to Zanarkand."

Yuna kissed Tidus gently.

"I'd love to."

- - - - -

Yuna walked slowly into the main flight-room of the Celsius.

"Was it your hair again?" Auron asked. "… or your jewelry?"

"Jewelry." She answered.

"Congratulations." The Legendary Guardian walked up to her, whispering his own sparse words into her ear.

_Welcome to your story._


End file.
